


Spark, Flare and Smolder

by drvology



Category: Batman (Unspecified canon), Batman: The Animated Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-11
Updated: 2011-04-11
Packaged: 2017-10-17 20:40:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/180977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drvology/pseuds/drvology
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tonight's fight was for their lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spark, Flare and Smolder

Not even the suit could protect him. Cold, to his bones, wracked with shivers so deep they almost prevented the last of his strength. He dragged Robin with him and Robin held him standing, tucked under an arm. They stumbled blindly in search of escape, only knew that they had to keep going. Moments ago they'd been encased, aching under a thick shield of ice that suffocated, kept them in check, kept them down. It was Christmas Eve but crime wasn't known for its holiday spirit, criminals even less so. Mr Freeze had vowed Gotham would experience a white Christmas like one never seen before; Batman believed that, feared it. Nefarious plans are what brought them here, nefarious plans what they'd attempted to thwart.

For now, retreat, all they had. Tomorrow they would save Gotham, rescue Christmas, no other choice. But tonight's fight was for their lives.

They ran through a cave, maddening and thick with a false snowstorm and dimming half-light as they fled Freeze's lair in the underbelly of earth-and-ocean, trapped in a demented snowglobe. Water thundered to their left--east, had to be east--and Batman wondered if this interconnected with his, with home, thought if eventually it could be unwound and they could find their way back. Their feet and freedom were the only weapons left to them, the Batmobile frozen, unbelievably shattered, Freeze and his goons believing them done for and discarded.

Less than two days, waning strength, and no idea where they were going. Batman tightened his grip, ground them to a standstill, lowered his head to rest, cheek against Robin's. It was cold, flush-chapped and clammy, alarmed him more than a blistering fever ever could.

"No, we gotta move. You always said this cold keep moving. C'mon we're close, have to be close to something." Robin swayed, weighted forward into Batman.

He shook his head, steadied them, blood stinging back into his limbs and brain. "We need to get warm, figure out where we are, decide on a plan. In that order. Hear me?" It was an order and all he wanted was to protect and soothe, but there was no time, no other way.

Otherwise they'd only run aground, lose the last of their endurance, succumb then fall.

Batman searched for shelter, anything, walked them to then jammed them between a gaping maw of stalagmites that looked like a maniacal grin. It wasn't as cold, here, run enough so the deep-freeze hadn't penetrated rock and murky air this far. Robin began muttering, worried restlessness that made no sense and it jolted fear through him--hot, raking near-panic--warmed his motions to quickness and efficiency and need.

"Fold this once, here. Make us a place to sit." He spoke briskly, tugged his cape from his shoulder and handed it to Robin. Something to do, a task, and they shouldn't rest on the cold, leeching ground. It would rob them of all bodyheat, take the last of their reserves.

Robin nodded dumbly, fumbled the cape, listlessly worked the ends and flopped it over a curve and a rise, poked at it clumsily to smooth wrinkles and keep it from sliding away. Batman ignored the struggle, ignored his rage at Freeze, the hammering in his mind that wanted him to solve all of this, here and now, his fear for them both.

"Good. Here--get these ready." He passed Robin the tightly bundled thermal blankets he kept in his belt, kept ignoring slowed fingers and glassy eyes.

Batman used his portable weld torch, left it blazing against a rock. He shook two chemical warmer packs and broke the inner seals, shook them harder, dumped them in the nook Robin had made of his cape. He thought about them here, thought two hours and nothing more, two hours and they'd be fine. Would have to be. Otherwise.

"Take off your cape. Wrap the packs in them." Robin complied, almost an automaton, held onto his wrist for balance and looked at him for help when the last few catches just wouldn't unhook. He undid them, shed Robin's wings, hands trembling and not from the cold.

The torch sputtered, fuel gone, then it seemed blacker than midnight with its blue-white light gone. Batman blinked, rationally knew his eyes would readjust, listened to Robin's plodding movements and for any signs of them having been chased, any signs of Freeze.

Nothing but the ocean, the promise of eventual escape. He'd have to risk using the new Batmobile, untested because there'd been no time, didn't admonish he was getting ahead of himself considering here they were, still buried under what was likely miles of rock and miles from safety.

Robin's breath rattled, wheezed, and Batman tamped down any despair. They were here, alive, and he'd see them through this. They'd survived worse, and irony had never been kind enough to him for him to allow them dying here, like this, in a cold, unforgiving cave.

He shook his head, shook his arms, took off his gloves and flexed his fingers. Still had to get warm. Then they could rest. Then they'd be out of here, they'd be _fine_ , and Freeze would pay.

"Are the packs in your cape?" He hefted the rock he'd heated, let its warmth seep into his hands.

"Yeah. Right here." Robin sounded tired, slurred. Slowed.

"Good. Hold onto them." Batman boosted onto their makeshift chair, burrowed into his cape. It wasn't soft or warm but it wasn't frozen rock. The snowstorm Freeze had created was blunted, in here, tall spires blocking the worst of the stinging wind and enormous flakes. "Now you."

Robin shuffled to him. They clunked together, heads and knees, got nowhere as Robin tried to figure a way up, in, something. Finally Batman lifted Robin bodily, situated them with Robin wedged next to him and balanced over his lap.

"Get your gloves off." He waited, made himself be patient. Robin needed to think, to _do_ , to have purpose. Then he put the rock on Robin's hands, hint of a smile at Robin's sigh of pleasure at feeling its heat.

The chemical packs had started their work, cocooned in Robin's cape like a skin, almost warm to the touch. Batman stuffed it between them, would expose it after the rock cooled. When it became a must. The thermal blankets Robin had undone crinkled and slipped between his fingers.

"Help me with these."

Robin grunted, hands nearly in his as they tucked and wriggled, ended up Batman reclined almost on his side, Robin curled into him, catch of his chin to the bend of his legs. The rock was still warm, heavy in Robin's hands rested on his middle, and the bulk of Robin's cape felt wonderful where it was lumped, almost a pillow, under their heads and shoulders.

"I'll set my alarm. We should rest, get all the way warm. We'll get out of here, then. We'll be fine."

"Back in--easiest way. Freeze'll be gone, by then." Robin's voice was stronger, hands more nimble on the rock they both held.

Batman nodded. It was the best option they had. "We'll be fine," he repeated, needed to say it, for Robin to hear it, for them to believe.

Robin smiled. Nothing Batman could see, everything he could feel. Then their lips met--Robin's pushed to his, up, light and dry and seeking. He started, clamped his fingers around Robin's wrist, drew back a breath.

"Gotta do something. Gotta get warm." Robin laughed, low and rumbly, drowsy but no longer weak. "Just thought. Well." He kissed Batman again, firmer, brave, sweet and sure. "This is something. Makes me warm, too. Definitely."

Batman swallowed. The rock was going cool and he coaxed it from Robin's hold. Was a detriment to keep so close, he reasoned, certainly not because it was in the way. In the way of what--he knew, wanted, and Robin had a point about that warmer thing--took Robin's hand and nodded his assent. Understood. Not too vulnerable, no advantages, just necessary, inevitable, in so many ways.

They kissed again and Robin murmured about hot cocoa and the fireplace in the study, the cookies Alfred had baked that needed to be eaten, then more brazen the fireplace in his bedroom. Batman closed his eyes, slid his hand up to cup Robin's cheek, deepen their kiss--their sixth, their next, never their last--and it was warm against his skin, supple-flushed with life, for his touch.

Two hours. They were warm, had to rest. They'd get out of here, they'd be fine. Get Freeze, save Gotham, then before Christmas was over discuss this. What Robin's kiss had started, what he'd continued, what next.

"Unwrap our presents," Robin finished, waggle and tease, and Batman didn't know if he'd said everything he'd just thought through aloud or if it was Robin who simply understood.

He nodded again, drew Robin to him, kissed the dip of Robin's mask then the tip of Robin's nose. All that, more, and they'd be fine.


End file.
